Electric-wire clamp.



' El SI ELECTRIC WIRE CLAMP. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21. 1915.

1,2%, 383., Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

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Admtm'ne connection to masons. DAMON, or COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 27, 1915. Serial No. 52,932.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Epson S. DAMON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Council Bluffs, in the county of Pottawattamie and State ofIowa, have invented a new and useful Electric-Wire Clamp, ,of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric wire clamps in which asingle piece of metal is employed to grasp an electric wire for thepurpose of connecting to electric attachments; and the objects of myinvention are,

1. To provide a clamp for an electric wire which will obviate thenecessity of the removal of the insulation.

2. To provide such a clamp that will firmly hold the wire and attach toany ordinary commercialsocket or fixture.

3. To provide such a clamp that connection can be made with the ordinaryfixture or-commercial socket, with an insulated wire by the use of apair of ordinary electricians pliers.

4. To provide such a clamp that is partially or Wholly insulated, exceptwhere the is made.

'i attain these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in which-Figure 1 is a plan of the blank, out of which the metalclamp is formed; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of such blank; Fig. 3 is aside elevation of such blank; Fig. 4. is a side elevation of such blank,showing a projection for forming the connecting point; Fig. 5 is an endelevation of the blank, shown in Fig. i; Fig. 6 is a side elevation or"the clamp ready for application; Fig. 7 is an end elevation showing theclamp as in Fig. 6; ready for application to the insulated wire; Fig. 8shows the clamp in position on the insulated wire, with the point incontact; Fig. 9 is an end elevation, showing the clamp in position as inFig. 8; Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a blank, having a plurality ofpoints; Fig. 11 is a blank shown in Fig. 10; Fig. 12 shows the clamp ofthe form shown in Fig. 11, with more than one point ready forapplication to an insulated wire; Fig. 13 is an end elevation of theclamp asshown in Fig. 12, ready for application; Fig. 1 1 is a sideelevation of the clamp, as applied to an insulated wire; Fig. 15 is anend elevation of the clamp as applied to an insulated wire;

fixture or commercial socketplan of the Fig. .16 is a side elevation ofa commercial socket, showing an end elevation of the clamp attached tothe socket and Fig. 17 is a side elevationof a commercial socket showinga side elevation of the clamp attached to the socket.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the various views. 1In the use of wires for temporary street lighting and lighting fortemporary purposes, insulated wire is bared of the insulation atintervals, and the. wire caught between the binding screw and plate ofthe ordinary socket or connection. The use of wire in this connectionrenders the work of making the connections excessive, and is apt to moreor less cut or injure the wire and thus reduce its Patented @ct. 22.rate.

being used for a similar purpose, unless the bared places on the ,wirecome at the'right position for the additional use. 1

My invention consists of a clamp formed of a single piece of metal,which may be insulated by any suitable gum or wax insulating material.The blank of which the clamp is made, has a slot b, adapted to slipunder the binding screw 8., of an ordinary commercial socket k. Theblank is also slotted at a, to receive the projection of the bindingplate 9, so that the baring of the binding screw 8, is full upon theclamp c. A portion of the blank or plate from which the clamp c, ismade, is out to form a point p, or more than one point may be formed, asshown in Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 1 1, two of which are on the edges of theplate, of which the clamp c is formed.

The clamp c, is formed as shown in Figs. 6 and 12, with the depressionacross the same to receive an insulated wire 71, and the point p, or pand p are arranged to touch the outer portion of the insulation of theinsulated wire 6. The clamp c, is .so curved and arranged as shown inFigs. 6, 7, 12 and 13, that when a pair of ordinary pliers is appliedunderneath the clamp and on the upper end of it, both the points 12, orp and p, the points 7), or p and 79' are pressed down into and throughthe insulation of the wire 2', in contact with the electric wire 1',thus making contact without removing the insulation, except where thepoints p, or 7) and p out the wire 77, which the clamp will take theshape as shown in Figs. 8, 9, 14 and 15.

The clamps are formed out of a single pressed or stamped after lng screw8, comes and the points 7, or p and p, vwhich are left free from theinsulating material, if insulation is used. They are formed as shown inFigs 6 and 7 or 12 and 13, so that the insulated wire 2', may be slippedin and the proper depression made under the points p, or p and p. Theclamp may be attached by the binding screw 8, to the socket connectionis. The insulating wire may then be placed in the clamp 0, under thepoints p, or p and p, by a simple pinching of the pliers the clamp 0, isbent or pressed down to the insulated wire 2', until the points p, or pand p press through the insulation and come into contact with theinsulated wire 2'.

In case it is desired to use the wire for other purposes, by engagingthe end of the clamp c, with an ordinary pair of pliers, it can beopened from the form shown in Figs. 8 and 14, back to the form shown inFigs. 6 and 12, and the insulated wire z', may then be slipped out. Theclamp may, by unscrewing the binding screw 8, be slipped out anddisconnected from the socket or connection 70.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An electric wire contact clamp formed I of a single piece of metaland having a hook at one end and having one or more points pressed outof the metal near the free end of the hook, said points adapted to bepressed through the insulation of an insulated wire within said book bybending said hook about said wire, said hook having a free portionadapted to be fastened to.

contact terminals.

2. An electric wire clamp formed of a single piece of metal and having ahook at one end and haping one or more points adapted to be pressedthrough the insulation of an insulated wire within said hook when saidhook is closed about said wire and a slot therein adapted to receive abinding screw. 3. An electric wire clamp formed of a single piece ofmetal and having ahook at one end and having one or more points pressedout of the metal near the free end of the hook, said points adapted tobe pressed through the insulation of an insulated Wire within said hookwhen said hook is closed about said wire and a slot in the end oppositethe hook adapted to receive the binding plate of a commercial socket orfixture.

4. A metal clamp formed of a single piece of metal, havin one or morepoints adapted to be pressed through the insulation of an insulated Wireand form contact with the same, and a slot adapted to receive thebinding plate of a commercial socket or fixture,

said clampbeing covered with an insulating gum or substance, except thepoints thereof and the said slot where the same is adapted to makecontact with said binding screw.

' EDSON S. DAMON. Witnesses:

HENRY PETERSON, WILLIAM PETERSON.

